Hot boating topic

[Poignard]

Would you want to do the same for the outboard motor manufacturer? Or are you saying big inflatables bad, small inflatables (such as we might use) good? If so, where would you draw the line between the two?

OK, introduce a temporary law requiring all who sell outboard motors and tenders within the EU and the UK to be licensed, to record serial numbers, require production of I/D, and obtain verifiable names and addresses from those who buy them.

Not that great an inconvenience to bona fide boatowners to put up with until a long term solution is found. In fact it could help in recovering stolen property.

I would not object to it any more than I object to the temporary inconvenience of wearing a Covid mask or having a vaccine.

It won't stop people paddling in canoes etc but it might have saved those poor devils who drowned in the Channel in the larger inflatables.

 

[Poignard]

Looking on the news at the boats this evening they look like they are built for one crossing. The material on the tubes is very shiny and looks thin and the transom on one was made of unfinished low quality ply board - the one made with chips not layers like concrete shuttering.
There was speculation from a fisherman that they can’t deal with waves and that they flex and are easily punctured by the flooring.

Yes, exactly. They have no thwarts and on the one I saw the floorboards were unpainted shuttering.

 

[westhinder]

A tragic accident waiting to happen.
Every day I have sailed this season, I have heard the French emergency services, Cross Gris Nez, lifeboats, Navy and Dover Coastguard and the RNLI deal with incidents involving boats with migrants attempting to cross. As the beaches around Calais are patrolled more frequently, smugglers move their operations further out in the direction of Dieppe or the Belgian coast, thereby increasing the length of the journey and the risk.
It looks like for every smuggler that is nicked, any number are ready to take over this lucrative business.

 

[Poignard]

Yes, exactly. They have no thwarts and on the one I saw the floorboards were unpainted shuttering.

Kamikaze boats. Not expected to come back

 

[Paulg25]

Does anybody know in which country these large inflatables are being made?

Only one of them but it seems all over Europe.
Migrant Crisis: Boat used to cross the Channel traced to shipyard near Rotterdam

 

[chrishscorp]

The scum that organise people crossing the channel are quite happy to steal boats and indeed the engines that go on them, why go to the expense and paper trail laying of buying this stuff if you can steal it.

Many of us are sailing club members we should ALL ensure that our outboard stores are secure and those on club ribs, we all have a part to play. Several years ago our club had a 35 and 50HP stolen, covered by insurance but a sobering thought that they may well have been used for channel crossings.

 

[ryanroberts]

Border force still haven't managed to even arrange a procurement for an auction house to sell their increasingly ridiculous collection of flubbers and outboards. At least we could get some cheap tenders out of this.

C15134 - Sale Of Vehicles and Goods (HSD) - Contracts Finder

 

[Irish Rover]

At least we could get some cheap tenders out of this.

?

 

[Daydream believer]

It has to be possible to trace the perpetrators of these crimes through the sales of dinghies etc.
What amazes me is how the people coming over can find the money to pay the trafficers the (claimed) huge sums. I do not like the idea of a cashless society, but these payments must have been made in cash- just like drug money- There has to be a lot to be said to prevent the movement of cash only payments. I believe that the EU along with the Bank of England are considering such a move.

If it is a case of them being expected to work for gang masters when they arrive here ( like slaves) on the black economy, then we need to look at ways of tracing payments to gang masters via cashless payments only. Not that I like the idea of a cashless society . But it would cripple some shady dealings in lots of other things- drugs in particular.
Although with Toolstation selling credit card readers for £15 that may make it even easier to buy one's spliff thingy

 

[ryanroberts]

I hadn't noticed until someone pointed it out on this thread that those large snub nosed black dinghies look constructed for the purpose. That's quite a complex criminal industry there if that's the case, lots of palms must be being greased.

 

[ean_p]

I hadn't noticed until someone pointed it out on this thread that those large snub nosed black dinghies look constructed for the purpose. That's quite a complex criminal industry there if that's the case, lots of palms must be being greased.

At 3000 euro a head a boat carrying 40-50 people represents quite an income........expanded to some days upto a 1000 people making the crossing which equates to 3 million a night.......you can see why the scumbags are at it!

 

[Daydream believer]

When I was in Dover last year there were 3 dinghies tied to a pontoon in the corner of the harbour. They were partially deflated & the outboards were completey imersed in water. They looked brand new & the waste of them looked criminal in itself. Whilst the dinghies may be unsuitable for sale, I am surprised that the border force could not consider sale to individual bona fide owners. Perhaps they cannot be bothered to undertake any checks that they consider necessary to stop them falling into the hands of just more criminals.
That being said one would have thought that a Uk passport, proof of UK residency & boat ownership ( insurance docs & bill of sale, perhaps), should be enough for max one engine per purchaser. Then they a set figure, regardless of type or condition, based on £ per HP & you rolled up & selected the one you wanted, paid & off you go-- accepting all associated risk in the process. They could have sale days to cut down administration. They log engine No. to purchaser, so traceable.
How much per HP? £ 10-00 let's Say £5-00. 20Hp would be £100 or 10 HP =£50 for a second hand one owner with risks. Is that a good or bad deal?

 

[ryanroberts]

Perhaps they cannot be bothered to undertake any checks that they consider necessary to stop them falling into the hands of just more criminals.

They tried (and seemingly failed) to outsource it this year C15134 - Sale Of Vehicles and Goods (HSD) - Contracts Finder . Don't seem to be useful for much those chaps

 

[TiggerToo]

Or, alternatively, just allow them to pay for a ticket on a ferry or the Eurostar.

It would be much easier. Cheaper. More humane.

Such a simple solution. Ridiculous that no one has thought of implementing it.

 

[SailingDog]

Or, alternatively, just allow them to pay for a ticket on a ferry or the Eurostar.

It would be much easier. Cheaper. More humane.

Such a simple solution. Ridiculous that no one has thought of implementing it.

Interesting, assuming the parties have some funds what are the obstacles to them buying a return ticket, for the ferry arrive in Blighty and claim asylum. If they have to show identification or passport to purchase ticket it could be lost mid channel. Perhaps by the time they have made it to France, not easy by any stretch their identification has already been stolen or lost.

 

[pyrojames]

Interesting, assuming the parties have some funds what are the obstacles to them buying a return ticket, for the ferry arrive in Blighty and claim asylum. If they have to show identification or passport to purchase ticket it could be lost mid channel. Perhaps by the time they have made it to France, not easy by any stretch their identification has already been stolen or lost.

If it is anything like the airlines, then immigration will hold the ferry company liable for bringing them in and force them to repatriate.

 

[Daydream believer]

France has said that will not take them back
be careful it is straying into moderator area & you know their feelings on the subject

 

[Poignard]

If it is anything like the airlines, then immigration will hold the ferry company liable for bringing them in and force them to repatriate.

When I was engineer in one of Jebsen's ships we carried an East European stowaway around for months. A nice chap and very willing to work in return for cigs and beers. The company had to pay for his food.

We couldn't get rid of him anywhere in any of the ports we visited and he had to be kept locked up in a cabin until we sailed again.

Eventually he told us he intended to jump ship in Hamburg so we organised a whip round and gave him money, cigarettes, a travel bag and clothes before he 'escaped' through a porthole.

 

[Robin]

We are too scared to as it’s a political question…..maybe.

That is indeed the problem.

It is incredibly sad and some of the reader comments in the tabloids are despicable. I particularly hate the ones criticising the RNLI for rescuing some and taking them to England,

 

[Daydream believer]

That is indeed the problem.

It is incredibly sad and some of the reader comments in the tabloids are despicable. I particularly hate the ones criticising the RNLI for rescuing some and taking them to England,

Do they need rescuing? Would they have made it anyway? So are the RNLI guilty of aiding and abetting? A bit like the charities supplying support on the French border. Yes they are dealing with a crisis of humanity, but are they making it worse?
It must be difficult for the crews because I have heard that some do not like that part of the job- ie acting as a ferry service rather than a life saving one. I am told that they can be the subject of abuse on return & one can understand that to an extent.
Surely knowing that the RNLI & others are standing by mid way is only making the risk more acceptable.
So although you hate people raising it, perhaps there is room for discussion whether one likes it or not.
It is only a question & i am not advocating drowning still more.

On the other hand, I would not like to be the skipper of a small coaster finding out that he had just hit a dinghy full of illegals without any form of identification one dark night.
I hope to go cross channel sailing next year ( Boulogne, Dieppe etc)& being single handed at night I could easily hit a dinghy when below & might never know if, for instance, in the heads. The chances are small, but coming on deck to hear screams would be a nightmare that would live with one for a while